Right, but how many of those reactions were because the animal thought they were looking at another animal, as opposed to reactions because they’re seeing themselves in an unexpected place?

I mean, I bet many animals can see their own reflection when they go to get water; if you only ever saw your reflection in puddles or lakes, it’d be potentially terrifying to suddenly see yourself materialize in the middle of the jungle.

Edit: imagine going about your day and suddenly your reflection just appears. You’ve never seen your reflection somewhere other than the surface of the water; and that was distorted and ripply. Now your reflection is in the jungle, clear and lifelike, without a drop of water in sight. This is potentially a huge change in your little world. Your mind breaks and reality crumbles. Your awareness comes and goes, hypnotized by your reflection as you hiss in fear. You are not sure how long it has been. Seconds become hours, you live, staring into the abyssal depths of your own pupils. What eldritch horrors lay behind those eyes? What monster could distort reality in this manner? So much time has passed over such a small timespan. You’ve lived out thirty lives now. Thirty cycles of life, death and rebirth. Suddenly, time snaps back and in a moment of lucidity, you smack the mirror and your reflection distorts, freeing you from your reflection’s spell so you can run away and live another day.

You know, something like that.